This award, authorized by the Government of Kuwait to members of the U.S. military who participated in Operation DESERT SHIELD and DESERT STORM and the Liberation of Kuwait. The Secretary of Defense Memorandum, 16 March 1995, authorized the acceptance and wearing of the Kuwait Liberation Medal by members of the Armed Forces of the U.S.

To be eligible for this award, U.S. military personnel must have: Served in support of Operation DESERT SHIELD and DESERT STORM between 2 August 1990 and 31 August 1993, in one or more of the following areas: The Persian Gulf; Red Sea; Gulf of Oman; that portion of the Arabian Sea that lies N of 10 degrees N latitude and W of 68 degrees E longitude; Gulf of Aden; or, the total land areas of Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, and United Arab Emirates. Please refer to DoD 1348.33-M for specific individual eligibility requirements.